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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26247883">Letters to Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZafiraMente/pseuds/ZafiraMente'>ZafiraMente</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 02:34:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,194</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26247883</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZafiraMente/pseuds/ZafiraMente</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mama Higurashi was always so nonplussed and calm about everything Kagome was doing. What if there was a good reason?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I've toyed with the order of chapters a lot, so please if you think they are better in a different order, share your thoughts!  This is my first Inuyasha story; the genre is intimidating because of the level of Japanese culture needed I feel to write it well, but this one is a little easier on that aspect.  Hopefully someone enjoys and adds it to their head canon.  </p><p>I'm hoping I don't lose my muse for my works in another fandom (Newsflesh) but it's hard because that fandom is *so* small and I just have been re-watching Inuyasha and was inspired for it, but you have to go where inspiration takes you.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mom,</p><p>I miss you.  It’s only been a few weeks since I left to stay here, and I know I’ve been gone longer than that before, but knowing I can’t pop back makes me sad, nonetheless.  I hope Sota is well.  Hopefully this works, I’m going to assume it does, because I’ve never heard of these being found before.  But time travel does get confusing. Kaede-sama helped me put a special sutra on it to help it make it through time.</p><p>Thank you for always supporting me, even though what I was doing was crazy.  I mean, honestly I can’t believe you didn’t have me committed as crazy or a delinquent some days.  But somehow you had faith in me.</p><p>Inuyasha proposed the night I returned. Thank you so much.  It meant so much to me to receive the kanzashi that Dad gave to you. I will treasure it forever. He admitted you helped him when he asked permission from you and Granddad. It doesn’t really matter, but it really meant a lot that he considered what I might be expecting as a “modern woman”. He proposed in front of the tree, which felt perfect to me.</p><p>We were married the next day, fast, huh?  But why wait? Marriage ceremonies are really different now.  Love matches aren’t all that common, and non-love matches don’t even have any sort of ceremony! But we had a small ceremony, because he knew I expected one, thank you again. He actually kept notes of what you told him! That’s obviously the first picture, me in my red and white kimono, and of course your kinzashi in my hair. I hope the charm on the box works and the pictures survive. </p><p>I am happy here. That’s what I want all of you to know more than anything: I am happy.  This is where I was meant to be somehow. It’s not fair to you, but this is where I belong. Thank you for supporting me through everything. </p><p>I love you forever,</p><p>Kagome</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Expecting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dear Grandma!</p><p>This letter came a lot later than I was expecting it, but that’s a hazard of being married to a hanyo, apparently. There’s a lot no one taught me about hanyo and demon reproduction! Apparently, for demons there is no such thing as “trying” for a baby.  If you actively want pregnancy, it happens.  If you don’t, it doesn’t.  For the first four years, we were honestly so busy that it didn’t surprise me that I didn’t get pregnant.  We had talked about being parents someday, but I didn’t realize that I needed to specify to him exactly when I was ready. He thought he was respecting my desire to wait, but I didn’t realize I was waiting! I assumed that you know, not using anything to stop it would eventually work.</p><p>Boy was I mad when I found out! I had been worried there was something wrong with me or that he was going to be upset I wasn’t getting pregnant! When he found me crying about that, after I found out Rin was pregnant, he realized I didn’t know and told me.  I realized later it wasn’t fair and apologized.  We tease each other about it now. So when we were really sure we were ready, see picture!  It seemed like forever until I had a belly big enough to be worth using a picture, though! This is me at seven months!</p><p>Inuyasha is of course being completely obnoxious and I love him for it. Having a child with demon blood has been pretty hard on me and as much as I feign annoyance at his overprotective nature and desire to do everything for me, I’m grateful he’s doing it, because on the days when I can’t things (a lot of days), I don’t feel guilty for having to ask him to do something.  It’s what he’s been doing all along. </p><p>I didn’t have much morning sickness, but the problem with demonic pregnancies is they take a lot of energy. Rin had it worse than me (she’s Inuyasha’s brother’s wife), because Sesshomaru is a full demon. The baby needs so much energy, both physical and spiritual, that if I’m not around Inuyasha, I can’t even stay awake. Rin stopped breathing once when Sesshomaru hadn't realized just how sensitive Rin was to his energy and he had gone somewhere without her. She was fine, someone just needed to poke her to remind her to breathe! That’s possibly because she’s expecting twins. Sesshomaru rarely shows his emotions, but when he found out that she had stopped breathing, he actually showed how upset he was! I think Inuyasha is annoying?  Sesshomaru literally now will carry Rin with him all the time, and loves shoving it in Inuyasha’s face that he is so powerful that he fathered two babies at once. Rin seems happy though, and that’s what’s important. While two kids would be nice, I'm happy with my single baby. </p><p>Oh! The other thing I learned: demon pregnancies last longer than human pregnancies!  I guess a full demon pregnancy lasts something insane like seven years! Hanyo pregnancies last about half that, so we’re guessing that gives me over a year and a half of being pregnant.  Again, Rin is definitely getting the worse end of the deal!  I guess this is why demons don’t have many babies, especially with humans! It does make Inuyasha’s parents’ story more romantic when you realize what his parents went through to have him. There are no such things as accidental hanyo children with a human woman.  </p><p>I have at least one more season to go. Your grandchild will be born with the sakura if our guesses are right. Giving birth now is much more dangerous than in modern times, but I want you to know: I don’t regret a thing, and even if I die, I am happy I have made this choice. My family here is so wonderful and I wish you could have met them.  And Inuyasha makes me happier than any one person has a right to ask to be. I’m sorry you will never meet your grandchild but thank you for letting me give you one.  </p><p>With eternal love, <br/>Kagome</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I have given probably too much thought to how "demonhood" affects pregnancy.  With slowed aging, it makes logical sense that the pregnancies would last longer, and noting that most demons didn't seem to have a large number of children (as would be expected in a time period before birth control) and just their life span in general, I came up with this framework.  7 years in a demon's life would be a blink of an eye, and the difficulty in producing children, both in time of gestation and the amount of attention a human woman would need makes a lot of sense.  </p><p>I also thought it would be fun for Kagome to have some difficulty because she didn't know about the "birds and the bees" when it came to demon physiology - and Inuyasha definitely wouldn't have thought to mention it unprompted, because he wouldn't have realized she didn't know!</p><p>Obviously, a female demon would not have the same energy needs as a human female, but she would still be pregnant for (to human opinion) an inordinately long time period.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. It's a Girl</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nana!</p><p>It’s a girl! I thought the baby was never going to come, and secretly I think Inuyasha was worried as well. The good news is that by the end of the pregnancy, there isn’t as much spiritual drain and I had more energy and could even try and sneak away for some moments of privacy away from Inuyasha! I love the man, but sometimes a woman needs to have some time to herself!</p><p>Of course, now I have Moroha with me at every moment, but I’m ok with that. I know you can see that she doesn’t have ears, she doesn’t seem to have any demon markings at all, but she’s definitely Inyusha’s daughter: she is so strong and you can see how smart she is too.  Maybe this is why there are no more demons in Japan. They simply joined humanity perhaps. </p><p>Maroha will be an only child though, I bled a little too much after and scared everyone for a moment. I knew it was serious because Inuyasha let Sesshomaru use Tenseiga to heal me. When I woke up, he had been crying even, while he waited for his brother. Inuyasha’s pride would keep him from asking Sesshomaru for help unless there was no other option. <br/>Anyway, I’m absolutely fine now, but Inuyasha has already been pretty adamant that he won’t consider another pregnancy for me.  He said clearly it was too hard on my body. I can’t really disagree with him.  In the meanwhile, we’re just happy to be a family.  </p><p>Tell Sota I miss him too!  I hope he got into the university he wanted.  </p><p>I will always love you,<br/>Kagome</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Secret in the Tree</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kagome’s mother had found the box quite accidentally while removing a hornet’s nest from the large tree by the shrine.  The hornets had dug into a cavity in the tree and as she was removing the remnants of the hive, she found a small box decorated only with the symbol she had seen on Kagome after she was born.</p><p>She smiled while tearing up, wondering if this was something that had been left to her by her late husband. It had been two years since his death, but she still mourned his loss.  Somehow, she felt this box <em>belonged</em> to her and he was the only person she could suspect to have hidden it. </p><p>Inside, she found what appeared to be letters addressed to her, from her daughter Kagome, except that Kagome was only nine and so there was no way it was from her, clearly.  Even more disturbing were the photos. They showed Kagome as she imagined she would look as an adult, first showing her in a kimono fit for a wedding, and wearing the kanzashi that her late husband had proposed with.  But that wasn’t possible, of course. Even more odd, the man holding her in his arms and looking at her lovingly appeared to have fuzzy ears on the top of his head! </p><p>The next picture showed the future version of her daughter, now dressed as a miko, but with a visibly pregnant belly. The man in red with the dog ears hovered in the background, looking concerned. She was clearly showing off the belly for the camera, and while Kagome’s mother was concerned for the tired, gaunt look on the face of the miko, the happiness was radiating from every inch of the photograph.</p><p>Then there were a couple of pictures of a baby being held by Kagome and the man with white hair and dog ears, then being helped to walk and then as a toddler, holding both parents’ hands as she swung between them.  She noted the man no longer wore his red kimono, now matching his miko more closely, but the child wore a kimono of the same red as her father and a bright red bow in her hair. </p><p>There was another photo that was of a large group of people, labeled on the back with the names of her adopted family in feudal times.  Mama Higurashi didn’t know how it was possible, but she couldn’t bring herself to throw them away, instead hiding the box away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Reasons</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Why do you let her do it?”  Sota had asked one morning after Kagome had ducked into the well after attending school for a few days.</p><p>“Do what, dear?”</p><p>“Uh, go into a magic well, neglect her studies and hang out in feudal times, risking her life fighting demons?”  Sota was only nine, but he knew this was not normal by any stretch.</p><p>Mama Higurashi sighed with a smile. “You said it yourself, she goes into a <em>magic</em> well. Do you think if I grounded her, magic would be stopped by that?” </p><p>Sota couldn’t argue with his mother’s logic, it was silly to think that anything would stop magic.  “You think this is her destiny?”</p><p>She smiled softly. “Maybe. I don’t understand it all, but I know I can’t stop it, and so if I can’t stop it, I can only love her as best I know how while it is happening.” </p><p>“I wish I could go into the well,” he muttered under his breath, jealous of his sister’s adventures. </p><p>She ruffled his hair. “That just means your destiny is still waiting for you.”  She kissed the top of his head and started making a list of things that she wanted to stock up on before Kagome came back to restock.</p><p>She had years to process the things she had found in that little box, and she hadn’t thought of it much, until the day she first went into the well.  Then she took the box out again, looking at the photos and letters from the past, yet the future of her daughter and started to really wonder if it was possible it was all true. She never forgot that glowing symbol on her daughter after she was born either. All doubt left her mind once she met Inuyasha and was finally able to touch his ears for herself. It was all true. Beyond anything she could understand, it was true.</p><p>There were some days she raged privately about how unfair it was that she would be given a daughter who would disappear into another timeline, and that there seemed to be nothing she could do about it. But most days she just had quiet acceptance. If Kagome had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, she would be dealing with a similar loss, but at least this way, she knew that Kagome was going on to live a happy life. </p><p>It also gave her a lot of reassurance about her adventures – clearly she hadn’t died in any of them or she wouldn’t be able to leave the box, so she was going to be fine. Parents want many things for their children, but over everything, they want their children to be happy. </p><p>Clearly, Kagome was happy.  Mama Higurashi could be happy with that too.</p>
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